The invention relates to a bread slicing machine for use in bakeries, supermarkets and the like, comprising a frame; two drums connected to the frame and being rotatable about substantially horizontal parallel shafts; a plurality of parallely spaced endless drivable slicing bands passed around the drums such that their slicing band parts cross each other between the drums at an acute angle, the slicing bands being drivable in such direction that a component of velocity of the slicing band parts perpendicularly to the plane through the axes of the shafts of the drums at the position of their crossing points is directed in the direction of conveyance of the loafs.
Such a bread slicing machine is described in Dutch patent application no. 8801873 of applicant. Herein, the axis of the slicing band drums lie in a horizontal plane and the loaf is supplied to the slicing bands in a vertical downward direction. The weight of the loaf together with the downwardly directed slicing force of the slicing bands acting on the loaf effect the automatic conveyance of a single loaf.
From the view point of the required floor space in the bakery or supermarket an arrangement with superimposed slicing band drums is preferred. Simply tilting the bread slicing machine of NL-A-8801873 through 90.degree. does not offer an adequate solution in this case since the risk arises of the loaf getting stuck in the slicing bands. Then, the weight of the loaf does not contribute anymore to the force of conveyance.
Of course, in larger industrial bread slicing machines, arrangements with superimposed slicing band drums and substantially horizontal loaf supply are known. However, the correct conveyance of the loaf is ensured therein as a result of a constant stream of abutting loafs pushed through the slicing bands by means of a conveyor disposed in front of the slicing bands and engaging for instance, the ends or the upper and lower side of the loaf; this engaged and driven loaf pushing the loafs lying in front thereof through the slicing bands.
Such a method of loaf conveyance, however, is not suited for use in small bread slicing machines in which it must also be possible to slice one single loaf.
The invention has the object to make a bread slicing machine of the type mentioned in the preamble also suited for substantially horizontal loaf conveyance.